


Traditional

by wafflelate



Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen
Genre: Exciting People You Meet In Prison, Friendship, Gen, Reincarnation, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26646172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflelate/pseuds/wafflelate
Summary: Looking at her like she's either very dangerous or incredibly stupid — or maybe both — Tobirama repeats, "Noodles."  He sounds so incredulous!"My treat," Shikako offers brightly. "It's traditional."
Relationships: Nara Shikako & Senju Tobirama, Nara Shikako & Senju Tobirama & Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikako & Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 27
Kudos: 867
Collections: Dreaming of Sunshine Exchange 2020 B: Surprise Birthday Edition, Heliocentrism — a Dreaming of Sunshine recursive collection





	Traditional

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KrakenMo (goldenKnife)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenKnife/gifts).



"We'll have to work together," Senju Tobirama says. Every word of it sounds like it was forced out against his better judgement, but when Shikako twists to look at him he stares at her with all the burning determination and self-assurance she'd expect of him, even if the slump of his shoulders and the downturned corners of his mouth speak of defeat and wariness. 

He's right, is the thing. They're not going to get out of here without each other. 

"I almost can't think of a better teammate," Shikako says absently, experimentally wiggling against the ropes she's tied up with. _Tobirama_ had rated real actual chains, maybe because he has a reputation to speak of. Or else because they were _expecting_ to capture Tobirama but they _weren't_ expecting to capture Shikako. 

Tobirama takes a careful, slow breath. "If you free me," he says slowly, "then when I fight my way out it will clear the way for you, too." 

Shikako shoots him an exasperated look. "That's not how working together.... _works_ ," she points out, conveniently ignoring that that had definitely been her plan if he hadn't felt like cooperating. 

His lips purse. "You can't imagine that I have funds to pay you upfront or time to negotiate a proper contract." He does follow this up with a look that says he's probably trying to formulate an entire contract in his head on the spot based on his scant information about her and her resources, though. Aw. 

Shikako gives one last wriggle and discovers that she's finally loosened the rope enough to slither out of her predicament and into the sweet, sweet freedom of being able to stand up and actually face Tobirama. 

"Working _together_ ," Shikako says, "means I'm going to spring you, we're going to fight our way out _together_ , and then we're going to go get noodles or something. _Together_. To celebrate." 

Looking at her like she's either very dangerous or incredibly stupid — or maybe both — Tobirama repeats, "Noodles." He sounds so incredulous! 

"My treat," Shikako offers brightly. "It's traditional." 

* * *

"Oh, I guess I didn't mention, but I was supposed to meet my friend here," Shikako says later, casually, over their noodles. Sasuke has just arrived and sat down on the other side of her from Tobirama. "Do you two know each other?" 

Tobirama is looking pale-faced. The usual post-captivity bloodloss and his natural complexion don't help in that department, but Shikako is detecting some small mixture of fury and terror. He _is_ unarmed and clearly exhausted, but...well, Shikako hadn't expected him to be able to peg Sasuke as an Uchiha on sight. 

Granted, it's not like Shikako has actually seen that many Uchiha. Maybe it's _really_ obvious. 

"You could say that." Sasuke gives her that look out of the corner of his eye, the one that's like _why do you make things like this happen so much_ and _I don't want to laugh but this is funny_. 

"Well. Awkward," Shikako acknowledges, because there's really only one way for a Senju and an Uchiha to know each other at this point. "Here I was planning introductions." 

"You know who I am," Tobirama says bitterly. "How could you possibly think that I would need an introduction to Uchiha Izuna?" 

What. 

Shikako looks back at Sasuke. And really _looks_ at him. She...supposes that that makes sense... "He's just been letting me call him Sasuke," she says, and then turns away from Sasuke because now his look is saying _nevermind, this is funny and I am laughing at you._

In her defense, _she_ got to keep _her_ name in this life. 

"Finish your noodles," she scolds Tobirama. "You don't have to fight him. Noodle shops are a no-fighting zone, anyway." 

She stares at him until he keeps eating. He wasn't willing to let her carry him even part of the way here and he _definitely_ won't be letting her carry him any part of his way home now, which means he needs to eat enough not to pass out on his way home. She can't stand the thought of starting Konoha off on the wrong foot by letting Tobirama die on her watch. 

And okay, maybe he's just eating because he feels threatened now, but she'll take it. 

"So, this is why you weren't here yesterday," Sasuke guesses, when it becomes clear that Tobirama is going to eat instead of argue or try to weaponize his chopsticks. 

"Being late is traditional," Shikako jokes with a winsome smile. 

"Not _this_ late." He doesn't sound worried, but he also doesn't sound _not_ worried. 

Which, well, Shikako is 24 hours late and still grimy, to say nothing of how beat up Tobirama is. The time for worrying is past, but it hadn't exactly been a gentle experience. 

"Well you know how it goes. You notice something interesting, you ask a few questions, suddenly you're being held captive, and then" — she sends a happy glance at Tobirama, who definitely doesn't seem to appreciate it — "you make a new friend!" 

Sasuke sounds so, so smug when he says, "I usually skip the held captive part." 

"You have no sense of adventure," Shikako proclaims. "Anyway, I like my new friend, so deal." 

Sasuke looks past her, focusing on Tobirama. "A friend of yours is a friend of mine." He says this like it's a challenge he doesn't think Tobirama will be able to rise to meet.. 

* * *

Even as they continue eating, it's obvious Tobirama is expecting Sasuke to start a real, deadly fight at any minute. That's an _exhausting_ amount of tension to sit right next to, so Shikako shoos Tobirama away after they've finished their noodles. The future Nidaime probably doesn't _really_ need her to walk him home, and once he's gone she and Sasuke can speak freely. 

"You didn't tell me you'd found a rival," Shikako says once Sasuke has _finally_ ordered his own noodles instead of just sipping tea. 

It occurs to her that maybe Sasuke was wary of a fight starting up, too, although not worried about _winning_ it, of course. Even if Tobirama hadn't been in a kind of sorry state, Shikako would take Sasuke's side in any fight against anyone in a heartbeat. 

"It didn't come up," Sasuke says unconvincingly. He also looks a little guilty. 

A lot of stuff hasn't come up on Sasuke's end, it seems like, but...well, it's not like Shikako had _asked_. She hadn't wanted to think about his new life, or confront what they'd lost. Easier to pretend, when they were together, that things were still...normal. That they were just out of the village on a mission, and everyone they didn't have with them anymore was just waiting back home. 

She gives Sasuke a pat on the shoulder, so he knows all is forgiven and so that she can reassure herself that nothing has changed. A Nara trying to touch an Uchiha should probably lose their hand, but Sasuke is still Sasuke and Shikako is still herself. It just feels normal. It doesn't matter that Sasuke is actually, somehow, Uchiha Izuna. 

"Just as long as you don't plan on refusing medical attention," Shikako says. "...Not that I think you're _definitely_ going to get stabbed. But if you do." 

Sasuke shrugs. "I might make Madara send for you, instead." He looks at her out of the corner of his eye. "If you'd come, that is." 

"I'll go anywhere you want me to go. We're still a team, after all." 

A smile tucks itself into the corner of Sasuke's mouth. His eyes crinkle, pleased and warm. "Madara is going to like you," he says. 

That's not a sentence Shikako ever thought anyone would say to her — especially Sasuke — and it makes it _really_ awkward that she'd spent a good hour an a half during their last meeting going over contingency plans for Madara going crazy again. 

But Sasuke is happy. Sasuke has a _family_ , including apparently an older brother that he doesn't hate. 

"Maybe I should meet him _before_ I have to sneak into your clan's stronghold to save your life," she says slowly. 

Sasuke considers this idea. "It's not the worst plan," he says grudgingly. 

That does mean something about it is bad, though, so she raises her eyebrows at him. 

"They'll think I mean to marry you," Sasuke says reluctantly. 

Right. Out-clan girl, pre-village era, what other reason would their be for introducing her? But Shikako shrugs. "I don't care what they think." 

She'll do anything to bridge the gap between them and stay by his side. Teams stick together. It's traditional. 


End file.
